Neanderthals Created Art with Just a Finger: New Discoveries Reveal Their Creative Abilities

Researchers in Spain have made a significant discovery that suggests Neanderthals were capable of creating art, challenging the long-held belief that artistic expression was solely a trait of modern humans. In 2022, a quartz-rich granite pebble dating back between 42,000 and 43,000 years was excavated from a rock shelter in central Spain. This pebble, measuring more than eight inches long, features curves and indentations that resemble a human face.

The pebble contains a distinct red dot located where a nose would be. Researchers, in a study published in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, noted that this object seemed to serve no practical purpose, indicating it was not merely a tool. David Álvarez-Alonso, the lead author, remarked on the unusual nature of the find and how evident it was that this was a special object.

Further analysis revealed that the red dot comprised ochre, a natural pigment. Examination by Spanish forensic police confirmed that the dot was a fingerprint, leaving “no doubt” that it had been intentionally applied. Álvarez-Alonso proposed that the Neanderthal, likely an adult male, perceived the pebble as resembling a face—a phenomenon known as pareidolia—and was inspired to enhance it, resulting in “one of the oldest known abstractions of a human face.”

This discovery is particularly noteworthy as it represents the most complete Neanderthal fingerprint found to date.

Neanderthals, a distinct species that became extinct around 40,000 years ago, coexisted with early modern humans across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. While this pebble stands as an exceptional find, it also highlights that Neanderthals may have engaged in symbolic behavior, although there is still no evidence of their possessing a complex visual symbolic system similar to that of Homo sapiens.